Since my last update around 12/10/2024 I've noticed the Meta PC app keeps running when I restart my PC and even it seems random other times where I not doing anything with my Quest 3 or any VR stuff that I'm aware of, and I'd like to turn this off, but it's not an option in the Startup menu and there doesn't appear to be an option to turn this off inside the app itself. So, does anyone know how to stop the app from running when it shouldn't be, and especially at startup?

Ok I think I have the solution for you.Step 1. right click on the meta link app and open file location.Step 2. Press the windows key and RStep 3. Type in the box shell:startup Now you have both windows open.Step 4. Go back to the Oculus window and click on Oculus on the address bar and you should see OculusSetup.exeStep 5. Copy and paste that app into the startup window you just opened.Step 6. Now goto settings/apps/startup and you should see Oculus setup app on there and you can now turn it off.Hope this helps.

Hi, This is a problem for all users using Meta Quest Link and not a Windows setting issue.There is no "setting" to disable meta quest link from running at start, becuase Meta has not implemented the setting or feature on their app.Normally Windows users would go to Task manager > Start up apps > Right click app > disable from running at start.Searching for " Start up apps" in settings, will give you the same options you'd get if doing it from the task manager. there is no setting for this because Meta HAS NOT MADE A SETTING FOR IT. This needs to be flagged and META needs to implement the bare bones feature of disabling run at start up. Windows does not automatically do this for developers, it's up to DEVELOPERS to do it THEMSELVES.In Settings> Apps > installed apps> Meta quest link shows up as "Oclulus" and a mismatched version from what it shows in app, for ALL users.This isn't something that's EVER been done via "Apps and Features" Here is what happens if a user tries to do it the way support keeps insisting is the right way. Obviously y'all at META have never used a pc or windows, an image is attached to this post showing that clicking the only option of " modify" on oculus will open the MQL app and give 4 options, none of which are the what Meta seem to think exists?To reiterate. Disabling start up apps has always been done from the task manager, not "apps and features.See attached image below for visual representation.

To stop the Meta PC app from running at startup, you can try these steps:Task Manager: Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager, find the Meta PC app under the "Processes" tab, right-click, and choose "End Task."Startup Apps: Go to Settings > Apps > Startup, and if the Meta PC app is listed, toggle it off.Disable via Services: Press Win + R, type services.msc, and look for Meta-related services. Right-click to disable them.Check for Updates: Ensure the Meta PC app is up-to-date, as a recent update may have added an option to control startup behavior.

To add onto Marble.S statement here, it'd be really nice if Meta could remember the end users they market the Quest towards -- Y'all market it for accessibility for the layman, not someone who spends 10 - 12 hours a day on a computer. Repeating a workaround that requires them to move stuff into their startup folder or hallucinate applications that aren't there is poor end-user support, and I wish I could say disappointing but I'm almost used to it now (this is a bad thing.)

Meta really needs to fix all of the issues related with the PC app because it seems they are focusing on standalone now instead of pc like at all. Just a few hours ago i started having issues connecting to link, and when i would half of the time load in, the dashboard wouldn't even work. it'd just say "No connection :warning:" and i couldn't even launch anything from the app or in headset. Even a reinstall didn't work

Stop Meta PC app running at startup

65 Replies

MetaNinjaTurtle
Meta Quest Support
9 months ago
Hey there inceptional!

What version of the Quest Link App are you on?

I know how important it is to be able to control your applications startup process as I know how annoying certain apps can be as they can hog some resources, slow your startup process or affect your PC's performance.

If you could please send our Engineering team a bug report about this issue so they can have a look into this!

Thank you! 🐢
- inceptional
  Adventurer
  9 months ago
  Meta Quest Link app version 71.0.0.238.524 (71.0.0.238.524)
  - LordArceus
    Meta Quest Support
    9 months ago
    Hey there, inceptional!
    
    Stepping in for MetaNinjaTurtle 🙂
    
    Auto start-up should, like any other app, be able to be disabled in the Windows settings. Just to make sure you're in the right place, here's where it should show in Windows 11:
    
    In Windows, launch the Settings app. On the left side of Settings, choose Apps and Select the Startup navigation option. To disable any startup apps that are now active, click the toggle switches next to them.
    
    Are you able to disable it from here?
inceptional
Adventurer
9 months ago
No option to disable auto startup there, just modify or uninstall. And if I choose modify it goes to the old Oculus setup where I can quite, open oculus, uninstall or repair.
- LordArceus
  Meta Quest Support
  9 months ago
  Very strange 🤔
  
  Can you try repairing the app and then check to see if it then shows up in startup navigation?
  - inceptional
    Adventurer
    9 months ago
    OK. I'm just heading to bed now as I'm in the UK and it's 12:30 here, also my Internet is slow so it will take a while to download the repair, but I'll reply with an update on the situation tomorrow.
oculusness
Expert Consultant
9 months ago
inceptional something else you could try is to use the oculus debug tool, it's part of the meta link software that gives you options to stop and start the oculus service.
Oculus Debug Tool (meta.com)
inceptional
Adventurer
9 months ago
OK, reinstalling the software didn't change anything, and I don't see an option in the Debug tool to actually turn off running upon startup. But it's fine. It's just a bit of an annoyance that I randomly see it open on my Taskbar. I'll live with it.
- EuroCan
  Honored Guest
  9 months ago
  Ok I think I have the solution for you.
  Step 1. right click on the meta link app and open file location.
  Step 2. Press the windows key and R
  Step 3. Type in the box shell:startup
  Now you have both windows open.
  Step 4. Go back to the Oculus window and click on Oculus on the address bar and you should see OculusSetup.exe
  Step 5. Copy and paste that app into the startup window you just opened.
  Step 6. Now goto settings/apps/startup and you should see Oculus setup app on there and you can now turn it off.
  Hope this helps.
  - DrRone19
    Honored Guest
    9 months ago
    I had this problem for a bit and this helped fix it THANK YOU 👏
- GeezYahdi
  Honored Guest
  9 months ago
  Im having this same problem. Its Invasive. I have to force close every OVR process on Task Manager for it to not open up on its own after i close the app. Otherwise its FORCED ON. NO DEAL.
  - LordArceus
    Meta Quest Support
    9 months ago
    Hey there, GeezYahdi and welcome to the community forums! 👋
    
    Have you tried any of the troubleshooting provided on this thread? The steps that EuroCan provided seems to have fixed it for some users 🙂 Hopefully that should stop you having to Task Manager everything!
julienkay
Adventurer
9 months ago
Same exact issue as OP and it's driving me crazy...
LordArceus
Meta Quest Support
9 months ago
Hey there, julienkay!

Have you tried the steps that EuroCan has provided?

inceptional did those steps fix it for you?
martin.renew
Honored Guest
9 months ago
I have the same problem - it runs at startup and there seems to be no way to stop it. When I close it, it reopens about 3 to 7 times. I see we have an update and was hoping that would fix it but even that wants me to download and install it over and over again and doesn't fix the problem. Unticking the run at startup doesn't help. The solution suggested here doesn't work and I can't log a bug report because it wants a serial number and doesn't accept mine. I also remember we had this a few years ago and it was fixed eventually.
- MetaMetalMonke
  Meta Quest Support
  9 months ago
  Hey there,
  
  Welcome to the community forums, thanks for posting.
  
  Since the fixes previously recommended have proved to be unsuccessful I would recommend contacting support directly for more in depth assistance catered to your situation. You can get in touch using the link below:
  
  Meta Quest support.
demon_90
Honored Guest
8 months ago
same here since the last update it will auto start, the app is not present in startup apps and repair does nothing to fix it, I also tried the suggested startup shell, and well the exe file is not present in the installation folder. Your engineers need to fix this. This is all in the install folder a shortcut and uninstall.
- Mudgy
  Honored Guest
  8 months ago
  You need to repeat the process of right clicking on the Meta Quest.Link and opening file location to get to the actual folder. I have to say, the so called technical assistance offered here is pretty poor.
martin.renew
Honored Guest
8 months ago
The previous update fixed it for me but then the latest update unfixed it again. 🙁
Stratogeist
Explorer
8 months ago
I was able to get it into my Apps > Startup menu with the instructions provided (not sure if it truly worked for good since I expect it to start popping back up after the app updates again), however this is a pretty drastic workaround and shouldn't be what support is telling end users to do. It shouldn't be starting up on anyone's computer without rhyme or reason. This needs to be fixed.
- Stratogeist
  Explorer
  8 months ago
  Past another day and when I went to start my computer up again, it opened. Y'all...